Nine in ten Australians believe Australia should produce more products locally

New consumer research from Roy Morgan has found that nine in ten (89%) Australians believe Australia should be producing more products locally following the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The research found that Australians key motivations to manufacture locally were to reduce Australia’s reliance on other countries (38%), create jobs (26%), support Australian business and industry (26%), a safeguard for vulnerable international supply chains (20%) and to strengthen Australia’s economy (16%).

“Australia’s over-reliance on imported products has been highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Australian Made Chief Executive, Ben Lazzaro. “This research indicates that Australians are placing priority on manufacturing self-sufficiency and job creation along with a renewed appetite to address the imbalance between locally made and imported products, to ensure Australia’s long-term prosperity.

“The many benefits of buying Australian Made have been brought into sharp focus recently, as Australians navigate and adapt to a dramatically changed way of living,” said Mr Lazzaro. “Not only do our local makers produce products made to some of the highest quality and safety standards in the world, but they also create economic activity and employment opportunities.”

The preference for Australian-made products was already high before the pandemic with Roy Morgan research in January finding 88% of Australians were more likely to buy products made in Australia*. Since the pandemic, more than half of Australians (52%) say they now have an even higher preference for Australian-made products.

Roy Morgan CEO, Michele Levine, said “The impact of COVID-19 on Australians is unprecedented in so many ways not least of which is our shopping behaviour. More Australians are now organising delivery of products; doing online research prior to making a purchase; shopping online, both in stores they would usually visit and different stores. And critically since COVID-19 Australians have an ever greater preference for Australian Made products.”

The research found that since the start of the pandemic, 37% of Australians are conducting more research online prior to purchasing products. Data from Australian Made’s website supports this finding, with traffic more than doubling in April to June compared to the same period prior. The average session duration also increased by 29%, with more and more Australians looking for authentic Aussie products. Total audience growth across all Australian Made’s social channels was up 467%, with engagements almost tripling.

The renewed focus on buying Australian-made has also led to more Australians to check labelling, with 43% of Australians now more likely to look for country of origin labels on products.

Mr Lazzaro said, “As Australia’s only registered country of origin certification trademark, the Australian Made logo is the true mark of Aussie authenticity. For more than 30 years, the logo has helped thousands of brands communicate their Australian credentials to consumers, businesses and all levels of government. It does this instantly and clearly, making it a powerful sales and marketing asset for authentic Aussie brands, and a helpful shopping aid for consumers around the globe.”

To find locally made goods, visit Australia’s biggest online directory of genuine Aussie products at www.australianmade.com.au.

View Roy Morgan's findings here.

*Roy Morgan Single Source Research February 19 - January 20